Watch brandsWatch wikiWatch videosVariousWatch calendarSaved articles
PopularRolexOmegaPatek PhilippeAudemars PiguetTudorGrand SeikoCartierSeikoIWCTAG HeuerBreitlingJaeger-LeCoultreA. Lange & SohneZenith

Results for Royal Oak

1,033 articles · 134 videos found · page 21 of 39

Related pages

Wiki · Guide
Integrated Bracelet

Bracelet that flows directly from the case without separate end-links. Genta\'s 1972 Royal Oak innovation.
Reference · Guide
All Audemars Piguet Royal Oak References Audemars Piguet

Every AP Royal Oak: 5402ST A-Series, 14790, 15400, 15500, 15510, Jumbo 15202 / 16202, Chronograph 26240.
Icon · Guide
Royal Oak Audemars Piguet

Gérald Genta's overnight 1971 sketch that invented the luxury steel sports watch.
Wiki · Guide
Curved Fitted Rubber Strap

Vulcanised rubber straps moulded to integrated luxury sport watch lug geometry. Zealande, Rubber B, OEM AP and Patek.
The Best Luxury Sport Watches Teddy Baldassarre
Oct 30, 2025

The Best Luxury Sport Watches

Luxury Sport watches are probably one of the most popular categories out there with no shortage of excellent options from the most mainstream to the most niche independent watch brands. While names like the Rolex Submariner and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak are seen as the staple watches in this category to aspire to, we asked our editorial team here to share their personal picks in this admittedly crowded category. So without further ado, let's take a look at our favorite luxury sport watches. Glashütte Original SeaQ Panorama Date There are dive watches that you wear to go diving and there are dive watches that you wear - well, maybe afterward, to the country club where you go to talk about diving. The Glashütte Original SeaQ is a prime example of a watch that can actually fill both roles.  While it was established relatively recently, in 1994, Germany’s Glashütte Original can trace its lineage as far back as 1845, which also happens to be the year that watchmaking essentially arrived as an industry in Germany. As I cover in much greater detail in this article, a full century of horological tradition, centered in the town of Glashütte in the state of Saxony, came to an end with Germany’s defeat in World War II. It was replaced by a new era in which a state-owned conglomerate of once-independent heritage watch manufacturers, the Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe or GUB, shifted focus from artisanal techniques and luxuriously decorative timepieces to mass-produced tool watch...

Read article
Audemars Piguet Has Reinvented The Chronograph: What Does It Mean To The Watch World? Fratello
Audemars Piguet Has Reinvented Oct 9, 2025

Audemars Piguet Has Reinvented The Chronograph: What Does It Mean To The Watch World?

Audemars Piguet is celebrating its 150th anniversary by introducing plenty of novelties, and they’re not watches. The brand from Le Brassus is also presenting new movements. The latest perpetual calendars now feature an ingenious crown, for instance, but the biggest news of the year is undoubtedly the launch of the Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Selfwinding […] Visit Audemars Piguet Has Reinvented The Chronograph: What Does It Mean To The Watch World? to read the full article.

Read article
Girard-Perregaux’s Brand New Caliber GP4800 Finds Its Home in the Laureato Fifty Worn & Wound
Girard-Perregaux s Brand New Caliber Oct 7, 2025

Girard-Perregaux’s Brand New Caliber GP4800 Finds Its Home in the Laureato Fifty

Let’s orient ourselves in the watch world five decades ago. The year is 1975, and we are in the height of the quartz crisis. Just six years prior in 1969, the watchmaking landscape forever changed with Seiko’s introduction of the first quartz timepiece, which called into question the future of mechanical timekeeping as we knew it. The era also marked the advent of the luxury sport watch, beginning with Gerald Genta’s Royal Oak for Audemars Piguet between 1970 and 1972. These two pivotal moments in horological history gave birth to an icon: the Girard-Perregaux Laureato. The first Laureato entered Girard-Perregaux’s catalog in 1975. The model was modestly sized by today’s standards and was even rather mid-sized for the era with a case measuring just 36mm (by comparison, the first Royal Oak began to set the tone for more oversized watches clocking in at 39mm, but was considered notably large and given the nickname “Jumbo”). The 1975 Laureato featured a two-tone construction, highlighting its mix of curves and geometric shapes. The design echoed Genta’s but with softer edges and a slightly more elevated look thanks to the addition of yellow gold elements combined with stainless steel. In line with the times, the model housed a quartz caliber, but not just any quartz caliber – it was COSC-certified. “The Laureato was more than just a new model for Girard-Perregaux’s catalog,” confirms Beatrice Morelli, Chief Customer Experience Officer. “It represente...

Read article
The Laureato Fifty is a Milestone for Girard-Perregaux SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre derived calibre found Oct 7, 2025

The Laureato Fifty is a Milestone for Girard-Perregaux

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its most enduring wristwatch design, Girard-Perregaux (GP) has just unveiled the Laureato Fifty, a watch that highlights the brand’s storied history, while asserting the manufacture‘s place in the current competitive market. As expected, the watch is powered by the brand’s new workhorse calibre GP4800, which makes its official debut here. A limited edition of just 200 pieces, the Laureato Fifty is dressed in a two-tone case of steel and yellow gold, echoing the 1975 original. Though this is a one-off limited edition, it is more than likely that this revised Laureato styling will be implemented across the Laureato line in the coming year. Initial thoughts To understand the Laureato Fifty, we must first consider the era to which it pays tribute. The original design of the Laureato, presented to the world in 1975, appeared right between Gerald Genta’s iconic duo of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus, launched in 1972 and 1976, respectively. Compared to these designs, which would come to define the category, the Laureato was different in a few respects.  First, the original design is credited to one of GP’s in-house designers, whose name has been lost to time. Second, the original Laureato was cutting edge at the time with its proprietary, chronometer-certified quartz movement, compared to the ultra-thin automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre-derived calibre found in the Royal Oak (and later, the Nautilus). Turning to...

Read article
SJX Podcast: AP Reinvents the Chronograph, Big Brands vs. Indies, and VC CEO SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Oct 5, 2025

SJX Podcast: AP Reinvents the Chronograph, Big Brands vs. Indies, and VC CEO

On episode 12 of the SJX Podcast, SJX shares his hands-on impressions of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extra-Thin Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph RD#5, the fifth and final watch from the brand’s R&D; skunkworks. We also address listener questions about the (great) leadership at Vacheron Constantin, and whether brands like A. Lange & Söhne and Vacheron Constantin can gain market share from independents – why not? Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube.  

Read article
Owner’s Review: a Collector’s Perspective on the Bulgari Octo Finissimo Worn & Wound
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Sep 23, 2025

Owner’s Review: a Collector’s Perspective on the Bulgari Octo Finissimo

The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic first debuted at Baselworld 2017, and I remember every journalist I ran into, telling me to go check out the Bulgari booth. I met with Pascal Brandt (then marketing manager), and a genuine watch geek I had known for some time. He showed me Octo Finissimo Automatic in titanium, and it was a “Wow” moment. I felt like I was holding a future classic in my hands, comparable to someone holding the Royal Oak for the first time in Basel in 1972 (and yes, there is a Genta connection). I had a couple of initial thoughts when I first experienced the Octo – I knew Bulgari had already made two of the slimmest complication Octo Finissimo’s in 2015 and 2016, but I chalked that to a fashion brand making a high complication for their wealthiest clients. But this was different, Bulgari managed to pull off the slimmest automatic watch that is lightweight, yet durable, with a micro-rotor movement for about $12,000. The second thought was that this is something special and, for me, a must own piece. Before I get into the ownership aspect of the Octo, I will give a brief history on how Bulgari got elevated to a serious watchmaking brand. The story of Bulgari’s transformation from a luxury fashion brand to a high-end watchmaker began in the year 2000. The watch industry was struggling after the late 1990’s financial crisis. In July 2000, Bulgari paid 37.6 million Swiss francs to acquire Gerald Genta SA, Daniel Roth SA, as well as Manufacture de Ha...

Read article
Audemars Piguet, Sinn, and Additional Brands Join the Watches & Wonders 2026 Roster Worn & Wound
Audemars Piguet Sinn Sep 23, 2025

Audemars Piguet, Sinn, and Additional Brands Join the Watches & Wonders 2026 Roster

The watch community woke up to a flurry of announcements related to Watches & Wonders 2026 this morning, which is (gulp) just about 6 months away. The news includes the addition of multiple brands, including one major and longstanding holdout, as well as others moving to higher profile locations in Palexpo. The big news is that Audemars Piguet, makers of the Royal Oak and a member of the so-called “Holy Trinity” of old school Swiss Maisons, will finally be exhibiting at Watches & Wonders. Audemars Piguet had previously been one of the main draws at SIHH, a predecessor of Watches & Wonders, also held at the Palexpo, so the brand is no stranger to the convention center’s cavernous halls. In a press release, CEO Ilaria Resta explains “Watches and Wonders is more than an exhibition – it is a space for meaningful exchange with our peers and a celebration of our shared heritage and craftsmanship. We look forward to welcoming visitors to Audemars Piguet’s world as we shape the future of watchmaking together.” Audemars Piguet is not the only brand being added to the Watches & Wonders roster. Ten additional brands have been announced as participants as of this morning. Joining AP at the show for the first time are Behrens, Bianchet, B.R.M Chronographes, Charles Girardier, Corum, Credor, Favre Leuba, l’Epée 1839, March LA.B and Sinn. This lineup is quite varied, with everything from elaborate mechanical clocks, to more accessible tool watches represented, and brands...

Read article
Watch Bezels: Every Type Explained Teddy Baldassarre
Sep 22, 2025

Watch Bezels: Every Type Explained

If you’re new to your appreciation of fine watches, you have undoubtedly read a lot of references to and heard a lot of opinions about watches’ bezels. It is somewhat of an esoteric term but it describes something very simple and essential. The bezel is the front part of the case (often but not always ring-shaped) that frames the dial and secures the crystal. Bezels can be made of the same material as the case middle and/or the caseback, but can also be made of a different material. Here we run down the various types of watch bezels you’re likely to encounter. Polygons and Exposed Screws Watch cases, of course, are not uniformly round, which means that bezels, the front-facing parts of those cases, can also be found in a variety of shapes - sharply squared or rectangular, like the Cartier Tank and Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso (above); softy cushion-shaped, like the Panerai Luminor and Vacheron Constantin Historiques American 1921; oval-shaped, like the Breguet Reine de Naples and other luxury ladies’ models; tonneau (“barrel”-shaped), like the Hublot Spirit of Big Bang and many Richard Mille models; and a host of others that combine elements of these and other polygonal shapes.  The shape that has proven to be the most popular and influential is the octagon: eight-sided bezels have proliferated ever since Audemars Piguet launched the Royal Oak (above) in 1972, and watchmakers have also dabbled in other unconventional shapes: the sharply faceted bezel of the Zeni...

Read article
Introducing: Three 38mm Perpetual Calendars From Audemars Piguet Fratello
Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet Sep 17, 2025

Introducing: Three 38mm Perpetual Calendars From Audemars Piguet

Audemars Piguet is known for many things, and the perpetual calendar is certainly among them. From ultra-thin variants to recent Royal Oak Selfwinding Perpetual Calendar references, the complication has been a cornerstone of the brand’s horological reputation. Earlier this year, AP launched a new generation of calibers designed with ergonomics in mind inside 41mm Royal […] Visit Introducing: Three 38mm Perpetual Calendars From Audemars Piguet to read the full article.

Read article
First Look – Two New Editions of the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Monochrome
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Aug 26, 2025

First Look – Two New Editions of the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin

The worthy successor of the 222 model (which is still made by the brand as part of the Historiques Collection), the Overseas has been Vacheron Constantin‘s vision of the luxury sports watch, a model made to compete with the two other icons of the genre, the Royal Oak and the Nautilus. The current Overseas, which […]

Read article
Striking New Hues for the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Aug 26, 2025

Striking New Hues for the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual

The recently launched 222 in steel may be the watch of the hour, but Vacheron Constantin continues to build out the Overseas line with a facelift for the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin ref. 4300V that gets new dials in burgundy and pink gold, both with pale blue accents. While the new pair are built on old bones, they remain competitive and appealing thanks to the extremely slim profile, great dials and well-appointed bracelets. Initial thoughts While the fad for integrated bracelet sport watches has cooled off, the genre remains remain popular and new contenders emerge every day, compelling established players to reinvent themselves. The Overseas Perpetual Calendar is definitely an established player in this segment and competitive with most of the market, at least for now. The thin movement inside has a proven track record by virtue of its age (the basic architecture debuted in 1967). Moreover, the Overseas perpetual also deserves praise for being very good looking, especially with the new burgundy dial. The blue accents work surprisingly well against the burgundy, though less so against pink gold. That said, the age of the movement is significant. It was easy to ignore the movement when the same was true of its peers. That is changing; Audemars Piguet overhauled the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar with an all-new movement earlier this year, which features an entirely crown-set calendar. While I think the difficulty of setting perpetual calendars with pushers is exa...

Read article
Introducing the Ancestra, a New Dress Watch From Atelier Wen Worn & Wound
Atelier Wen Jul 29, 2025

Introducing the Ancestra, a New Dress Watch From Atelier Wen

Since 2022, you could be forgiven for thinking of Atelier Wen as “the Perception company.” The brand didn’t start with their popular integrated bracelet sports watch, but as the demand for these types of watches grew, Atelier Wen has done their best to keep the Perception at the forefront of the conversation. They’ve done this through small runs of new dial colors and limited editions with various partners that allow them to play not just with color but the guilloche work that is the Perception’s calling card.  But it was never Atelier Wen’s goal to make the Perception their own version of the Royal Oak, a watch that completely defines the brand to the point that other collections are barely playing second fiddle. The conceit of the brand has always been to celebrate traditional craft techniques through the lens of Chinese culture. Look at their first release, the porcelain dialed Odyssey, alongside the Perception and you begin to see the brand’s vision more clearly. Now, a new collection has been unveiled, that will hopefully continue to broaden the brand’s appeal.  The Ancestra is a rather ambitious dress watch that’s quite complex in its design, but in a somewhat under the radar way. The centerpiece of the watch is the 925 silver dial which incorporates two traditional artistic crafts: hand hammering and grand feu enamel. The dial is produced by Kong Lingjun, a master Chinese enameler. After the dial is hammered, Lingjun gets to work on the enamel pr...

Read article
Hands On: Hublot Big Bang Unico in Mint Green Ceramic SJX Watches
Hublot Big Bang Unico Jul 28, 2025

Hands On: Hublot Big Bang Unico in Mint Green Ceramic

One of the year’s best summer watches, the Hublot Big Bang Unico Mint Green Ceramic is a fresh interpretation of the brand’s signature collection. Housed in a 42 mm case clad in candy-like, mint green ceramic, the Big Bang Unico features Hublot’s top-of-the-line HUB1280 flyback chronograph movement with an unusual, dial-side integrated construction. While technically identical to other ceramic Big Bang watches, the new mint green colour is unusually fun and approachable. This new edition of the Big Bang joins the permanent collection, and extends the brand’s industry-leading range of coloured ceramic watches. Initial thoughts Hublot is a brand that tends to elicit visceral polarisation among collectors, and it’s easy to see why. The bold designs are seen as outrageous by some, and the pricing puts them out of reach for those focused on maximising their horological dollar. But Hublot has outgrown its early reputation as a Royal Oak imitator and found its own identity, in part through its leadership in ceramics and willingness to experiment with design and colour. In this case, the mint green colour looks great, and considering the glossy finish, it looks almost like candy. This gives the watch a friendly countenance that results in an amusing tension with the overtly masculine, technical structure of the case and design of the dial, with its stencil-like hour markers. The Big Bang collection is all about its signature architectural case, and the mint green editio...

Read article
Insight: Breguet’s New Sympathique Clock and Natural Escapement SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin marked Jul 18, 2025

Insight: Breguet’s New Sympathique Clock and Natural Escapement

Breguet will very likely close its 250th anniversary this year with a bang: launching a 21st century Sympathique as a tribute to perhaps Abraham-Louis Breguet’s greatest invention, a clock that could autonomously wind, correct, and regulate a removable watch. While the brand has released no details, and there haven’t been any leaks, a series of patents gives us a peek at the new Sympathique. Notably, the patent drawings illustrate two possible companion watches: a 60 m water resistant Marine tourbillon and a Tradition. The latter is more interesting as it uses a novel form of Breguet’s échappement naturel, or natural escapement. We explain both the new Sympathique 2025 and the natural escapement using information gleaned from Breguet’s patents. Breguet Sympathique No. 1 by Francois-Paul Journe Initial Thoughts Three of the most historied names in the watch industry are celebrating anniversaries this year. Vacheron Constantin marked the occasion with Solaria, the most complicated wristwatch to date, while Audemars Piguet introduced an all-new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar (and promises more to come in the fall). In comparison, Breguet has debuted the Classique Souscription and Tourbillon Sidéral so far, both of which are objectively good watches but feel underwhelming in technical terms. A new Sympathique, on the other hand, would be the ideal centrepiece for the brand’s anniversary collection, being visually impressive, an icon of the brand, and entirely unique ...

Read article
Vacheron Constantin 222 Review Teddy Baldassarre
Vacheron Constantin Jul 10, 2025

Vacheron Constantin 222 Review

The Vacheron Constantin 222 reissue first came out at Watches & Wonders 2022 and it was, quite literally and without hyperbole, the single most talked about watch at the show that year. The revival was a solid gold, integrated-bracelet sports watch that went from a somewhat obscure cult classic to a breakout, mainstream status watch seen on Brad Pitt, Michael B. Jordan, and Chris Paul. Once the initial excitement subsided and everyone got their wrist shots to post on Instagram, the obvious next question posed by industry insiders was, “when do we see a steel model revival?” Well, that question got answered late last year with the release of the Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 Ref. 4200H/222A-B934, a watch that benefits from contemporary watchmaking techniques while looking like it could be straight out of the ‘70s. Done in a stainless steel case and bracelet with a subtle matte blue dial, this new 222 revival became one of the most lust-worthy releases of 2025 shorty after its arrival, less than two weeks into January. For a little history and background, the 222 was released in 1977 and is something of a precursor to the Overseas. I’ve heard a few people incorrectly attribute the 222 to Gérald Genta but it was actually the work of fellow prolific designer Jörg Hysek. The 222 came on the heels of the Royal Oak (1971) and Nautilus (1976) and the 1977 launch coincided with the brand’s 222th anniversary, hence the name. Like the Royal Oak and Nautilus, the  2...

Read article
Tissot PRX Chronograph Review Teddy Baldassarre
Tissot Jul 3, 2025

Tissot PRX Chronograph Review

The Tissot PRX Chronograph is one of the latest releases from the Tissot PRX collection, one of the Swiss brand’s major success stories of the past decade despite its relatively recent introduction (or, more accurately, re-introduction) to the market. Engaging the 21st-Century watch-aficionado zeitgeist with its crowd-pleasing combination of classical sport-luxury design, intriguing colorways, and accessible price points, the Tissot PRX has grown from a handful of models to become a modern pillar of the 170-year-old brand’s sprawling and diverse portfolio, adding the first chronograph models to the growing lineup in 2022.  Tissot PRX Origins It all started with the original Tissot PRX watch, which debuted in 1978 and which, like many watches from that era, was powered by a quartz movement. The PRX was distinguished by its flat, barrel-shaped, multi-faceted case, which integrated smoothly into a flexible, articulated steel bracelet; it took its three-initial model name from its attributes: the “P” and “R” stand for “precise” and “robust,”respectively, and the “X” is actually a Roman numeral “10” depicting the model’s 10 atmospheres (aka 100 meters) of water resistance. The overall aesthetic was one that today’s watch historians will readily recognize, hearkening back to the groundbreaking design of a much pricier watch that had debuted several years earlier, in 1972, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.  The latter had, in fact, exerted influence...

Read article
Reviewing The New Breitling B19 Perpetual Calendar In Ice Blue WatchAdvice
Breitling B19 Perpetual Calendar Jun 5, 2025

Reviewing The New Breitling B19 Perpetual Calendar In Ice Blue

The first standard production watch with the Breitling B19 Perpetual Calendar movement, of course, had to be a Navitimer. We have gone hands-on with it to see how it stacks up! What We Love That ice-blue dial is stunning! Has an amazing wrist presence and an iconic design Easy to use and adjust movement with the perpetual calendar What We Don’t The reverse-style strap can get in the way, depending on your wrist size The 30m water resistance is on the low side The 43mm size will not suit all wrist sizes if you have a smaller wrist Overall Rating: 9 / 10 Value for Money: 9.5/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 When you think of Breitling, one of the first, if not the first, model that comes to mind is the Navitimer. Not only is it one of Breitling’s most iconic models, but it is also one of the most iconic watches out there, thanks to its history, unique slide-rule bezel and overall design cues that make it stand out. You can easily recognise a Navitimer on the wrist from a distance. In that regard, it’s up there with the Submariner, the Speedmaster, the Luminor, and the Royal Oak, to name but a few. So it stands to reason that it was one of the models to receive the new in-house B19 Perpetual Calendar movement as part of Breitling’s 140th Anniversary Collection. The 18k Rose Gold 140th Anniversary Navitimer B19 Chronograph Perpetual Calendar. This was my pick of the three, but we chose to review the Super Chronomat instead, given the uniquene...

Read article
Seiko SKX007 Review Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko May 15, 2025

Seiko SKX007 Review

We never really know how – or when – it happens, but some watches manage to achieve an iconic status that gives them a certain immortality long after discontinuation. We know the types, from the Speedmaster to the Submariner to the Royal Oak. But not all icons are pricey and they’re certainly not all Swiss. Enter the Seiko SKX007, a watch without a nickname, whose reference number is as recognizable as any of the aforementioned icons I just listed. The SKX, as we call it shorthand, is the value king in all of horology because of its capability from top to bottom, literally. Today we are going to be examining the SKX007, a watch that Seiko has since moved on from and never truly replaced. We will look at it at face value (as well as current secondary market value), for the watch’s impact on collector culture, and for its staying power even in the face of no longer remaining in production. Seiko SKX007 History And Specs In order to properly contextualize the SKX007, we must go back in time to the 1970s, when Seiko made its first impactful dive watch. Notice how I say "impactful," as the lot of you ready yourselves to remind me not to discount the 62MAS. For the record, I am not – at least not entirely. The 62MAS has proven to be a classic for Seiko, but the diver that really put the brand on the map in terms of culturally relevant tool watches was the Ref. 6105 which was worn by Martin Sheen in the film Apocalypse Now. It has since gone on to take the name of his c...

Read article
Seiko Arnie Review: The Discontinued Icon Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko May 9, 2025

Seiko Arnie Review: The Discontinued Icon

Before getting into the Seiko "Arnie," I must discuss the man who made it an icon on the big screen. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a guy who knows watches. Or he is at least a guy who is very clear and consistent about the types of watches that he likes. In terms of impact on the watch industry, few celebrity enthusiasts have been as huge (pun intended) as Schwarzenegger, the former “Mr. Universe” from Austria who dominated the big screen during the 1980s and ‘90s in high-testosterone blockbusters like Conan the Barbarian, Predator, Commando, Total Recall, End of Days, and the Terminator series. Along with his fellow iconic action star, Sylvester Stallone, Schwarzenegger helped bring Panerai and its hypermasculine, military style to the attention of millions, kicking off a fascination with large, bulky watches that more or less defined the early 2000s. He also played a significant role in taking Audemars Piguet’s boldly styled Royal Oak Offshore out from under the shadow of the original Royal Oak and into a pop-cultural milieu all its own, famously donning a specially tailored model for his 1999 thriller, End of Days. From this, one can make the assumption that Arnold, who also went on to become the governor of California, loves big watches with mechanical movements from historic Swiss maisons. But in at least two of the movies listed above, he turned instead to a Japanese watch with an analog-digital display - still plenty big, but at the time priced in a range tha...

Read article
Introducing – A Trilogy of Audemars Piguet Models Dressed in new “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” Ceramic Monochrome
Audemars Piguet Models Dressed Apr 8, 2025

Introducing – A Trilogy of Audemars Piguet Models Dressed in new “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” Ceramic

Audemars Piguet recreates a colour intimately associated with its first Royal Oak model of 1972. Although the colour described as “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” has appeared on many dials, it has never been replicated in high-tech ceramic. Inspired by the clear night skies of the Vallée de Joux, this darker tone of blue ceramic is […]

Read article
IWC Expands the Ingenieur Collection Worn & Wound
IWC Expands Apr 2, 2025

IWC Expands the Ingenieur Collection

It’s deja vu all over again for IWC. Two years ago at Watches & Wonders, the brand debuted, at long last, and after a great deal of anticipation and speculation, a new version of the Ingenieur. The new Ingenieur was effectively the sole focus of the brand’s Watches & Wonders output in 2023 – a fact that underscored the importance of the release for the brand. It was met, at the show, with quite a bit of acclaim. To put it on your wrist and to see and feel the finishing of the case and bracelet in person revealed a watch that was designed to compete with the likes of the Royal Oak and Overseas. Ambitious, perhaps, but not crazy. That said, IWC (and the rest of the watch community) have always known that if the brand was going to offer a true lower priced alternative to those integrated bracelet sports watches, they’d need to fill out the collection with some additional options. And that’s exactly what IWC has done at this year’s Watches & Wonders, dropping a dizzying array of new Ingenieurs in new materials, sizes, and with new complications.  Here we’ll focus on some of the obvious standouts. First, an Ingenieur that has always seemed like one that was missing from the collection: a variant in full ceramic. The Ingenieur Automatic 42 in black ceramic is exactly what it says on the proverbial tin. This is a slightly larger version of the Ingenieur released a few years back with a modern 42mm case, but much of that increased size is hidden by the deep black to...

Read article
Interview: Ilaria Resta, Chief Executive of Audemars Piguet SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Mar 26, 2025

Interview: Ilaria Resta, Chief Executive of Audemars Piguet

The chief executive of Audemars Piguet for just over a year now, Ilaria Resta leads the storied brand into its 150th year. In her short time at the helm, she has already overseen the opening of the expansive, vertically integrated Arc manufacture in Le Brassus as well as the first instalment of the brand’s anniversary celebrations. Prior to AP, she spent over 25 years in fast-moving consumer goods, first at Proctor & Gamble and then at Swiss fragrance and flavour specialist Firmenich, making her one of the rare outsiders at the top of Swiss watchmaking, a traditionally insular industry. We recently spoke to Ms Resta about balancing tradition and technology, collaborations, and why there will never be a Royal Oak Star Wheel. Along the way, she dropped a few tantalising hints as to what’s in store for the future, Ms Resta (right) at the recent opening of AP House Singapore, with member of the brand’s board of directors, Oliverio Bottinelli. Image – Audemars Piguet This interview was edited for clarity and length. SJX: Audemars Piguet is in Le Brassus, a town that’s in the historical heart of watchmaking. It’s the only brand of watchmaking’s “Holy Trinity” that’s not in Geneva. How do you think that makes AP special? Ilaria Resta (IR): First of all, we are there because we were born there. We decided not to move, and we will never move from our birthplace. It is a choice of being true to our legacy and to stay close to the manufacturing. For me, it’s ext...

Read article
In Between Sizes? Spending Time With The Zenith Defy Skyline 36 Fratello
Zenith Defy Skyline 36 It Mar 16, 2025

In Between Sizes? Spending Time With The Zenith Defy Skyline 36

It is no secret to regular readers that I like the Zenith Defy line of watches. These are some of the very few integrated-bracelet sports watches with a clear identity. They do not take the design-first approach of, say, a Royal Oak, nor do they strive for elegance like a Laureato. Zenith, instead, pushes into […] Visit In Between Sizes? Spending Time With The Zenith Defy Skyline 36 to read the full article.

Read article